Olympic Newsdesk - Rio 2016 Licensing; USA Hoops

Rio 2016 Licensing Program

Rio 2016 met with 150 companies interested in joining the revenue program that will generate $750 billion for the Games.

On Feb. 14, Rio 2016 launched its licensing program, responsible for selling all the paraphernalia and other goods related to the Olympics.

In a statement, organizers say they hope to settle on 60 companies selling official merchandise of the Games.

"The Olympic and Paralympic Games have the world’s most recognized brands," Carlos Arthur Nuzman, Rio 2016 president, said. "We are offering a unique opportunity for companies to associate themselves with these brands and eventually have their products displayed at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, as relics of the Games."

The first Rio 2016 items will be for sale at Brazil House at the London Olympics. Rio 2016 ultimately hopes to have 12,000 products developed and 6,000 points of sale, including 150 official shops in Brazil, with a "megastore" on Copacabana Beach.

Qatar Sports Day

Qatar marked its first National Sports Day on Tuesday with 13 hours of free sport throughout the country. More than 350 activities took place to promote healthy lifestyles.

The Qatar Olympic Committee oversaw the project. Major Qatari companies including Al Jazeera, Q Media, Qatar Airways, Qater Petroleum and RasGas all held sport programs for their employees

"Today has been a fantastic day and we have seen a great response from public and private organizations to really get behind this important national initiative," said QOC General Secretary Sheikh Saoud bin Abdelrahman Al-Thani. "It is great to see so many people, fromyoung boys and girls to their grandparents, get involved and try new sports. The whole nation has really embraced Qatar’s first National Sports Day and it shows what can be achieved with vision and commitment."

USA Basketball Picks Women’s Pool

Three double Olympic hoops champions headline the pool of women up for Team USA consideration ahead of London 2012.

USA Basketball unveiled Monday a total of 21 finalists in competition for 12 roster spots at the Games to be awarded this spring by a selection committee.

"You’ve got a group of players that have experienced everything there is to experience and as a coach, as someone who’s been around these players, I couldn’t be happier with this group," says Geno Auriemma, who actually coached a third of the players now vying for his 2012 squad through his day job at the University of Connecticut.

Defending two-time champs Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings and Diana Taurasi as well as Athens 2004 gold medalist Swin Cash and Beijing 2008 ballers Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, Kara Lawson, Candace Parker and Cappie Pondexter are the most decorated among them.

Jayne Appel, Tina Charles, Candice Dupree, Asjha Jones, Angel McCoughtry, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen of the squad thatwon the 2010 FIBA World Championship and booked the berth in London also made the cut.

Rebekkah Brunson, Lindsey Harding, Renee Montgomery, Sophia Young and Brittney Griner round out the list. Griner, a standout center at Baylor University, is trying to become the first college player to compete in the Olympics for Team USA’s women’s team since 1988.

"We’re going to have to decide: What kind of team do we want? What are the dynamics that we’re trying to achieve?" asks Auriemma.

"In the end, are we prepared for anything the other countries are going to throw at us and do we have something for every occasion?

Team USA is looking to win its fifth straight Olympic gold and seventh overall.

Briefs ...

... Apollo Ohno says he will be at the Sochi Olympics, but he’s not sure in what capacity. "I will be there in 2014 but I am not sure if I will be skating or not," the eight-time Olympic medalist was quoted by Reuters. "I may have one of these microphones and you may see me in my helmet."

... Bulgarian Olympic champion in shooting Maria Grozdeva issued an "ultimatum": either the country’s shooting federation president resigns or she skips the 2012 Olympics. Grozdeva is reportedly upset that her club was removed from the federation after not participating in Bulgarian shooting events. "It's ridiculous," she was quoted by Reuters telling Bulgarian bTV on Tuesday. "He should resign or I'll not compete at the Olympics… Let's see who is more important."

Media Watch

The Washington Post examines Mitt Romney’s record as SLOC chief.

The Associated Press reports on whether female boxers will be forced to wear skirts at the Olympics.

Quanitta Underwood, a U.S. Olympic hopeful in women’s boxing, has her quest for London 2012 and story of surviving abuse profiled by the New York Times.

Written by Ed Hula III and Ann Cantrell.

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